Virtually every state has a law requiring school employees to report criminal sexual abuse cases to authorities, but Title IX requires schools to respond internally as well, regardless of law enforcement action.
Schools will have to keep written records of actions taken in response to sexual misconduct reports for at least seven years under the regulations.
In another change, the person who investigates a sexual assault case under Title IX cannot be the same person who decides whether the accused student is responsible — which means schools may need to hire or train additional staff.
The final Title IX regulations removed some of the most controversial measures at the K-12 level and will not require live hearings in student discipline cases for sexual assault.
Sasha Pudelski, advocacy director of AASA, The School Superintendents Association, said she is concerned that the regulations still bar schools from investigating sexual misconduct between students that occurs off campus and not at school events.
